The influence of music on driver stress

In order to examine the efficacy of music in dealing with daily stressors, automobile drivers were randomly assigned to either a music or nonmusic gro up. The music group listened to their favorite music, while the nonmusic gr oup abstained from any music or talk radio during their entire commute to o r from school or work. Using a cellular telephone, state measures of driver stress were obtained during a single commute in row- and high-congestion c onditions. A Condition x Music Group interaction was found. Driver stress w as greater in high congestion than in low congestion, but the nonmusic grou p demonstrated extreme levers of stress within high congestion. Listening t o self-selected music appeared to limit driver stress only within highly fr ustrating and irritating traffic congestion.